


Leap of Faith

by Jhonni



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Hannigram - Freeform, M/M, Romance, Slow Burn, Social Anxiety, only a tiny bit of Bev - sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 10:57:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13480056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jhonni/pseuds/Jhonni





	Leap of Faith

When the lights dimmed, the students merged into one faceless shape. Will liked it best that way. 

“Ask yourself what do these killers make you feel.” He clicked a new slide. “Put yourself in the victims’ place. What makes your heart pound when you walk across that dark parking lot?”

A hand went up. “Terror.”

“No. Think.” Will paced from the podium. “Use your imagination. Feel it. That stalking presence.” 

Silence blanketed the room, yawning. Typical for a Friday, but nonetheless irritating. Might as well put them out of their misery.

“Dread,” a small voice called out. 

Will froze as if struck. Nodding once, his voice turned solemn. “Dread.”

*

Will had just turned from the main road when his cell buzzed. “What’s up?” 

“How was class?” 

“Alright.” 

“You always say that.”

“And yet you keep asking.”

Bev laughed. “Ass.”

“So you’re calling to insult me?”

“No. I’m calling to see if you’re okay.”

The car bumped over the gravel drive. “I’m fine.”

“Because you’ve got that thing tonight.”

“Yeah, I’m aware.”

“You sure you’re okay?”

Will slowed to a stop. Silent for a long second, he stared at the house wanting nothing so much as to fall into bed. “I’m sure.”

*

Freshly showered, he pulled his good suit from the closet. A little dusty, but it still fit. 

“What do you think?” 

Winston let out a whine and flopped at his feet.

Will reached down for a scratch. “Sorry, bud. I won’t be late.”

An hour passed in a blur of headlights, velvet ropes, and strange faces. 

“Will, are you listening? … “Will?” 

Her name was Emily. She worked in the registrar’s office. Her most redeeming quality - she didn’t mind being asked out at the last minute. Drained by the effort, Will dragged himself back. “Sorry. Work is just …” 

“I get it. It’s fine.” 

It wasn’t fine. But if she was willing to pretend so could he. “Why don’t we get another round?” 

Emily smoothed her dress. “I’m not much of a drinker.” 

“Me neither,” he said, herding her towards the bar. A few minutes wait left him scanning the room. People do that. Nothing to be self-conscious about. It’s not like he was looking for anyone. He definitely wasn’t looking for -

Shit.

A drink arrived just in time. Tossing it back, he replayed his last therapy session.

_“Are you planning to attend the fundraiser?_

_“Jack didn’t give me much of a choice.”_

_“Perhaps you’d find it less distasteful with some company.”_

_“A date?”_

_“It’s been known to happen.”_

_"Wait. You mean with you?”_

Hannibal approached with all the subtlety of a Roman emperor. “Will. I was hoping we’d cross paths.”

Heat flooded Will’s face. “Doctor Lecter.”

“I thought we were past formalities.” 

He didn’t wink. But he might as well have. “Hannibal,” Will conceded.

“And who is this?”

Will’s stomach clenched. He had nearly forgotten she was there. “This is Emily.”

“Emily,” Hannibal echoed with a bow. “Delighted to meet you.” 

She blushed. Suddenly feeling invisible, Will cleared his throat. “I guess you want to mingle.” 

“Nonsense. Plenty of time for that. And I still haven’t introduced my date.” A woman joined Hannibal’s side. She was beautiful. Of course she was. “Madeline, this is Emily-” Hannibal chased Will’s eyes -“and this is Will.” 

Will held back a sneer. “Nice to meet you.” 

“It’s nice to meet you both.” Madeline leaned in, smelling of expensive perfume. “Some friendly faces among all these stiffs.”

“Ha!” Will snorted.

Amusement sparked in Hannibal’s eyes. Will felt himself shrinking. Mercifully, Hannibal turned to Emily. “Emily, are you enjoying yourself?”

She beamed, her answer lost to the clatter in Will’s brain. Whatever they were talking about, it wasn’t him. At least not what an ass he’d just made of himself. And then, they were gone. Will wasn’t even sure he’d said goodbye.

“Your friend seems nice.”

Will stared as they moved through the crowd. His heart dropped in slow motion. “He’s not my friend.”

“Oh. I thought …” 

“Will you excuse me?” With barely a pause, he set down his glass. He wasn’t sure where he was going. Only that he needed to be somewhere else.

*

By the looks of it, the snow had started right after they got to the party. He tucked himself into the car. Just a few minutes was all he needed. Some quiet to calm his nerves. 

“Will?” 

“Fuck,” he muttered, lowering the window. 

Snow glittered in Hannibal’s hair as he bent down. “Would you like some company?”

“If I say no?” 

Hannibal was silent a heartbeat too long for comfort. “I’ll leave you to your solitude.”

Will felt something reach inside. A key testing a lock. He flicked his chin towards the passenger seat. “Get in.” 

The slow burn of his anger glowed, flaring the moment Hannibal closed the door. “Where’s your date?”

Unfazed, Hannibal settled in. “I expect she’s talking with Emily. She was when I left.”

“She’s probably looking for you,” Will snapped.

Admiring him openly, Hannibal gave a faint shrug. “Let her look.”

Blood thumped in Will’s ears as panic kicked in. Fight or flight. He opened his mouth to speak. Unsure. “Why?”.

Hannibal slipped a hand into his. “Was it so awful, the idea of coming here with me?”

Will’s eyes reached up slowly. “Not awful.”

Hope crept into Hannibal’s voice. “What then?”

“Scary,” Will answered without a thought.

Hannibal was quiet a moment. “Yes. I understand.”

“You do?”

“More than you know.”

Will looked to their hands realizing he hadn’t pulled away. “What do we do?”

Hannibal brought his hand up for a soft kiss. “We can go slow.”

Will felt the wall crumble.“You’d do that? You’d wait?”

“My sweet Will.” Hannibal shook his head with wonder. “I already am.”


End file.
